Arrowhead



April 9, 1963 c. J. ZWICKEY 3,

ARROWHEAD Filed Feb. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 67/7/0/0 J. ZTW/cey BY W .3411:

:ATTORNEY April 9, 1963 'Filed Feb. 14, 1958 C. J. ZWICKEY ARROWHEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,084,939 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 3,ii84,939 ARRUWl-IEAD Clifiord J. Zwiclrey, 107 12th Ave. NE, North St. Paul, Minn. Filed Feb. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 715,304 16 Claims. (Ci. 273-1tl6.5)

This invention relates to an improvement in arrowheads and deals particularly with an arrowhead having outwardly projecting spring fingers capable of catching in grass, leaves and underbrush to stop the flight of the arrow and to make it easy to locate.

In my previous patents such as Patent 2,628,837, issued February 17, 1953, for Arrowhead With Resilient Arms, 1 disclosed an arrowhead having a series of milled bosses arranged in angularly spaced relation about which were coiled the spiral ends of springs. These spiral springs are supported arms which extended outwardly in a generally radial direction rearwardly of the point of the arrow. When such an arrow was used in the woods or underbrush or in tall grass and missed its target, the spring arms would catch in the grass or in leaves or the like and would collect such material in a ball forwardly of the arrow. The spring arms thus not only stopped the flight of the arrow quickly upon striking such material but also made the arrow easily found because of the ball of material collected at the arrow point. Furthermore, the arms would catch in grass and other growth and would prevent the arrow from sliding beneath the layer of material overlying the ground. Arrows of common construction are very difficult to find in locations of this type as they tend to slide under the leaves and grass without leaving much of a trace.

While arrows of this type were very successful in their intended purpose, the biggest difficulty was the cost of manufacture. In order to produce arrows of this type considerable machining was normally necessary as the heads are usually made of steel and could not easily be formed by methods other than machining methods.

The purpose of the present invention lies in the provision of a spring structure which is easy to produce and which can be manufactured at relatively low cost. The arrowhead itself is easy to produce in a screw machine or the like and accordingly may be produced in volume at relatively low cost. The arrowhead is machined with a groove encircling the body of the head intermediate the ends thereof. A spring structure is assembled in this groove encircling the small diameter portion of the head and once the spring structure is in place it is difficult to remove and practically impossible to remove accidentally unless the springs are broken. As a result, an arrowhead is formed which serves the same purpose as those which were previously produced and at a small fraction of the cost of the previous constructions.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of the spring structure itself. The spring structure comprises a series of springs, each of which is identical. Each spring includes a spring arm extending substantially tangentially from one end of the coil spring and a second end extending tangentially from the opposite end of the spring and in the opposite direction. One arm of each spring extends through the coil of an adjoining spring and the end of this arm is bent angularly to hold the two springs assembled. As a result of this arrangement, each of the springs is connected to the two springs on opposite sides of it forming a ring designed to encircle the small diameter portion of a groove in the arrowhead body.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the springs are capable of flexing throughout their entire length. The outwardly projecting arms are resilient and flexible, the intermediate coil is resilient in the manner of a torsion spring and the anchoring arm is also resilient thereby providing a maximum spring effect which extends throughout the length of each spring.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the particular form and shape of the arrowhead. The arrowhead is provided with a blunt disc-like end which is connected by a reduced diameter neck to a larger diameter portion spaced rearwardly of the arrowhead point. The large diameter portion acts as a protection for the major portion of the spring structure being of slightly larger diameter than the spring structure. A circular bearing portion is provided rearwardly of the groove against which the springs may bear, the springs being held from rearward movement relative to the arrowhead by this portion of the head. The bearing portion described is of approximately the same diameter as the rear end of the socket into which the arrowhead shaft extends. The bearing portion is also of approximately the same diameter as the outside of the spring structure so that when the spring arm is bent backwardly upon contact with grass, leaves or the like, the arms extend outwardly of the bearing portion and are not bent thereby.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an arrowhead showing the construction thereof.

FiGURE 2 is an end view of the spring structure removed from the arrowhead.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one of the springs forming the spring structure.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the arrowhead with the spring structure removed.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view through a modified form of arrowhead which is adapted to support the spring structure which is described.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 5 showing another form of arrowhead which is designed to accommodate the spring structure described.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of still another form of arrowhead which may be used to support the spring structure.

FIGURE 8 is an end view of the arrowhead disclosed in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of another modified form of spring structure in which the various spring elements are held together by a retaining ring structure.

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the construction illustrated in FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 discloses a modified form of construction in which one of the spring elements comprises merely a connecting element and does not support an outwardly projecting spring arm.

FIGURE 12 is another modified form of spring structure in which two adjoining spring coil portions are integrally connected so that one series of convolutions is angularly related to the next while the axes of the convolutions are on a common plane.

FIGURE 13 is another modified form of construction in which the spring is made up of two connected springs rather than a larger number of them.

The arrowhead itself is formed as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The head is indicated in general by the letter A and includes a tapered ferrule 10 having a relatively large diameter rear end 11 and a smaller diameter forward end 12. As indicated in dotted outline, the ferrule 10 includes a tapered socket 13 designed to accommodate the tapered forward end 14 of an arrow shaft 1-5. The other end of the shaft 15 is preferably rounded as indicated at 16 and notched as indicated at 17 for the accommodation of the bow string. The arrow shaft is also preferably feathered as indicated at 12 so that the arrow will fly on a true course. As this end of the arrow is unimportant to the present invention, it is not described in any detail.

The small diameter portion 12 of the ferrule 16 is connected by a rounded fillet 2G to a large diameter shoulder portion 21 having its forward surface substantially flat. .A groove 22 having a rounded base of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the helical spring which will be placed therein is provided forwardly of the shoulder 21. The forward side of the groove con tinues the curve of the spring through approximately a semi-circular fillet. This forms a shoulder for containing the spring structure on the forward side of the groove which is of a depth substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the outer surface of the helical spring. From the apex of the shoulder 26 the body is connected on a substantially frusto-conical plane 24 to a second shoulder 25 which is substantially equal in diameter to the shoulder 21 and substantially equal in diameter to the large diameter end 11 of the ferrule 10.

Forwardly of the shoulder 25, the body is connected with a relatively short radius fillet 26 to an elongated shallow groove having a curved inner surface 2 7. At its forward end, the body is provided with a disc like member 2% which forms a blunt tip to limit the penetration of the arrow into a tree or other similar object. This blunt tip is of approximately one-half the diameter of the shoulders 21 and 25 and of the large diameter end 11 of the ferrule. The small diameter portion of the tip at the base of the shallow groove 27 is approximately two-thirds of the diameter of the end 29. The base of the groove 22 is of approximately the same diameter. By reducing the diameter of the tip rearwardly of the blunt end it is possible for the arrow to pivot slightly if it enters the side of a tree or other object and strikes the object with a glancing blow.

The spring structure includes an intermediate helical coil portion 36 with one end of the coil extending substantially straight in a tangential direction to form an arm 31. As is indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the extremity of each arm 31 is bent at substantially right angles to form a forward projection 28 which assists in preventing the various arms from sliding off grass and the like. The other end of the helical spring 30 includes a second arm 32. which extends substantially parallel to the arm .30 but in a reverse direction. Springs of this type are very simple to construct and can be produced at low cost.

The spring assembly is made by inserting the arm 32 of one spring through the helical coil 30 of another spring, the arm 32 preferably entering the end of the spring from which the spring arm extends. The extremity 33 of the arm 32 is then bent in a reverse direction to engage over the end of the coil 30 from which the arm 32 projects. The second spring is then assembled to a third spring in the same manner. Using the same method of assembly the third spring may be attached to a fourth and so on until the desired number of springs are connected. In the present case, four such arms are normally used although obviously this number may vary. When the arms 32 extend on a plane at substantially right angles to the axis of the coil 30, a rectangular box like structure is most readily formed.

The spring structure which is employed is in itself useful for certain purposes other than for arrow construction and the arrowhead shape has been found desirable even with the spring structure removed. The spaced shoulders of substantially equal diameter seem to have an advantage in the event the arrowhead strikes an object with a slanting or glancing blow. When the arrow hits an object with a glancing blow the tip end of the arrow first strikes and a tendency is created to twist the arrow so that the arrow shaft swings toward the object struck.

This object next strikes the first shoulder 25 which tends to resist the swinging of the arrow shaft toward the object struck and as the arrowhead passes by the object, the second shoulder 21 apparently tends to further straighten out the arrow in its flight. As a result, the tendency for the shaft of the arrow to break when the tip hits a solid object is reduced to some extent.

In the constructing of the spring arrangement, various different forms of construction may be employed, each of which may be advantageous or disadvantageous relative to the others. It should also be noted that the specific form of the arrowhead may vary to some extent to suit the conditions of manufacture. For example, in FIGURE 5 of the drawings is disclosed a type of arrowhead which may he used in conjunction with a tubular arrow body constructed of metal, plastics, glass fibers, and the like and particularly those which are capable of being formed in suitable shapes. In the arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the arrow shaft 35 comprises a hollow tubular member which is rolled or shaped to include a peripheral groove 36 which is generally similar in shape to the groove 21 and presents a shoulder 37 rearwardly of the spring structure and capable of preventing the spring structure from sliding rearwardly of the arrow. The groove 36 may be connected by a concave shoulder 39 to a peripheral ridge or rim 40 which is designed to prevent the spring structure from sliding forwardly on the arrow shaft and which acts to protect the spring structure to some extent. The portion of the arrowhead forwardly of the rim or head 46) is generally cone shaped and the outer surface thereof might be slightly concave as indicated at 4-1.

The arrowhead 42 illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings is shown to illustrate a different manner of attaching the arrowhead to the arrow shaft 43. This arrangement is particularly useful in conjunction with a hollow tubular shaft having a hollow interior 44, although it may also be used with a solid shaft with the hollow portion 44 comprising a socket extending axially into the end of the shaft. The arrowhead 42 is provided with a reduced diameter shank 45 extending into the passage or socket 444 and includes a larger diameter portion 46 exteriorly of the shank 45 which limits the inward movement of the head into the passage or socket 44. The head 42 is provided with a groove 47 designed to accommodate the spring structure and the forward end 49 of the arrowhead may be tapered or otherwise shaped.

FIGURES 7 and 8 show the manner in which the spring structure may be applied to an arrowhead 50 which does not have a circular groove of the type illus-a trated in the previously described arrowhead construction. The arrowhead 50 may be integral with the hollow tubular arrow shaft or may be attached to the shaft. The arrowhead 50 is shown as having a tubular body 51 which is flattened at its forward extremity to provide flattened sides 52 and 53 which may be substantially in surface contact. The flattening of the tubular structure forms shoulders 54 and 55 at the rear end of the flattened portions thus forming shoulders or abutments against which the spring structure which is indicated in dotted outline by the numeral 56 may abut. A staple or other such element 57 extends through the flattened portions 52 and 53 in a position spaced forwardly from the shoulders 54 and 55 to form an abutment preventing the spring structure from leaving the arrowhead once it has been applied.

FIGURES 9 and 10 of the drawings illustrate a somewhat modified form of spring structure which is indicated in general by the numeral 59. The spring structure 59 includes a series of helical springs 60', each having at one end an outwardly projecting arm 61 preferably provided with an angularly projecting extremity 58. As illustrated in the drawings, the springs 60 are held in the groove 62 of the arrowhead 63 by means of a retaining ring 64 which may comprise one or two turns of wire which extend through the helical portions 60 of the springs and hold these helical portions tightly wrapped about the grooved portion of the arrowhead.

In the spring structure disclosed in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, all of the springs are identical and all of the springs are provided with outwardly projecting spring arms. In FIGURE 11 of the drawings I disclose a modified form of construction which is illustrated in general by the numeral 65 and which is identical with the structure shown in FIGURE 2 with the exception of the fact that one of the springs is not equipped with an outwardly projecting spring arm and merely acts as a means of connecting the remaining springs. In the structure shown in FIGURE 11, three of the springs 66, 67 and 69 are identical and are identical with the springs employed in the structure shown in FIGURE 2, each having a central helical portion 70 and each having an outwardly projecting spring arm 71 extending from one end thereof. Each of these springs also includes an arm 72 which extends in a direction generally opposite the arm 71 from the opposite end of the helical coil 70. Each of the arms 70 extends through the coil of an adjacent spring and is provided with an angularly extending end 73 which hooks over the helical coil of an adjoining spring. The fourth spring 74 is provided with a projecting arm 75 which is also provided with an angularly turned extremity 76 which is designed to hook over the end of an adjoining helical coil 70'. The other end of the spring 74 includes an arm 76 which extends into the helical coil 70 of another of the springs or this arm 76 may be omitted entirely so that the spring 74 merely acts to connect the ends of others of the spring 70'.

In FIGURE 12 of the drawings, another modified form of spring structure 77 is illustrated which is made up of two spring elements rather than a larger number. Each of the springs forming the structure 77 includes connected helical portions 79 and 80 which are in angular relationship and which are formed by bending the helical spring intermediate its ends. Each portion 79 of the spring is provided with a projecting arm 81 which extends through the helical portion 80 of the adjoining spring and is anchored in place in a suitable manner such as by providing an angularly turned extremity 82 which hooks over the end of the helical portion 80. The end of the helical portion 80 which is not connected to the helical portion 79 includes an outwardly projecting arm 83 which may be provided with an angularly turned end 84 at its outer extremity. Thus, only one helical portion of each spring is provided with an outwardly extending arm, the helical portion 79 forming connecting portions for connecting one helical portion 80 of one spring to the similar portion of the next spring.

In FIGURE 13 of the drawings, a spring structure 85 is illustrated which is similar to the previously described constructions in general in that it includes two springs, each having a central helical portion 86 and each having an outwardly extending arm 87 extending from one endof the helical portion 86 and preferably provided with an angularly turned extremity 89. In view of the fact that only two springs are employed in this construction, the arms 90 which extend from the opposite end of each helical portion 86 is bent at 91 to provide an anchoring portion 92 which extends generally parallel to the axis of the helix from which it projects. The angularly turned portion 92 of each spring extends through the helical coil 86 of the other spring and is anchored in place in a suitable manner such as by providing an angularly turned extremity 93 thereupon which hooks over the end of the opposite helical coil 86 from which the arm 90 projects.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in arrowheads, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made Within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An arrowhead including a generally cylindrical elongated body having means for attachment with the forward portion of an arrow shaft, a circumferential shoulder having a periphery lying on a plane substantially normal to the axis of said body and located longitudinally in the general area of the forward extremity of said means for attachment, a second shoulder of somewhat smaller diameter than the first shoulder and having its periphery spaced forwardly thereof, a circumferential groove of reduced diameter between said shoulders, said reduced diameter groove having sides contoured longitudinally and having a filleted convergence with said first shoulder, a third abrupt angled shoulder of substantially equal peripheral diameter to said first shoulder and spaced forwardly of said second shoulder, a reduced diameter tip at the forward extremity of said body, and a neck portion connecting said tip to said body at said third shoulder, said neck and tip each having :a diameter substantially less than the diameter of said third shoulder.

2. An arrowhead including an elongated body having means for connection with an arrow shaft, shoulder means on said body, a reduced periphery portion forwardly of said shoulder means, a spring structure including a series of arms projecting beyond the periphery of said body, each said arm being connected to one end of one of a series of connected helical portions, the axis of each said helical portion being substantially tangent to a hypothetical circle having a common axis with said body, means retaining each said helical portion in working relation with said body and nested on said reduced periphery portion forwardly of and longitudinally adjacent said shoulder.

3. An arrowhead including an elongated body, said body having a shoulder means thereon, a reduced periphery portion forwardly of said shoulder means, a spring structure including a series of arms terminating beyond the periphery of said body, each said arm being conneoted to one end of one of a series of connected helical portions, the axis of each said helical portion being substantially tangent to a hypothetical circle having common axis with said body, \and means retaining each said helical portion in Working relation with said body and nested on said reduced periphery portion forwardly of and longitudinally adjacent said shoulder means.

4. The structure of claim 3 and in which said shoulder means comprises a series of angularly spaced shoulder portions.

5. The structure of claim 3 and having a second shoulder forward of said reduced portion, said spring structure being retained between said shoulders.

6. The structure of claim 3 and with each said helical portion having its axis on a substantially common plane which is substantially normal to the axis of said body.

7. The structure of claim 3 and in which said retaining means includes an arm extending through the helical coils of said helical portions.

8. The structure of claim 5 and in which said shoulders extend substantially to the outer periphery of the helical portions of said spring structure.

9. The structure of claim 5 and in which the face of said shoulder means extends substantially tangent to the helical portions of said spring structure, and having the face of the said second shoulder spaced forwardly of the opposite side of the helical portions of said spring structure.

10. An arrowhead including an elongated body, a spring structure, and means for securing said spring structure in Working relation with said body, said spring structure including a plurality of spring units interconnected in an unterminated circuitous series encircling said body, each said spring unit including a helical portion, a projecting arm connected to one end of said helical portion and arranged to swing substantially in a plane parallel to the axis of said body, and a second rarm connected to the other end of said helical portion, said second arm extending within the helical coils of the helical portion ofthe next successive spring unit of the serie and secured therein, the axis of each said helical portion being substantially tangent to a hypothetical circle coaxial with said body, each said axis of a helical portion lying substantially on a plane common with the axis of every other helical portion of the series.

11. The structure of claim and with said second arm extending from said helical portion in a direction generally opposite from the direction of said projecting arm.

12. The structure of claim 10 and in which each said projecting arm and each said second arm are integral with said helical portion to which they are primarily connected.

13. Thestructure of claim 10 and in which each said second arm extends through and emerges from the helical coils of the next helical portion of the series, each said second arm being turned at a substantial angle and engaged over the second arm end of said next helical portion.

14. An arrowhead including an elongated body having a lateral shoulder means open substantially forwardly and arranged substantially normal to the axis of said body, and a front end section spaced forwardly of said shoulder, and a longitudinal connecting portion connecting said shoulder and said front end section, said longitudinal connecting portion having substantially less total cross sectional area than the area within the periphery of the body at said shoulder means, a spring structure including a series of projecting arms, a series of helical'portions and a series of torque restricting members, each said helical portion being retained 'in Working relation with said body forwardly adjacent said shoulder and with the axis of each said helical portion lying substantially on a common plane normal to the axis of said body, each said projecting arm being integrally connected singly to one end of one of said helical portions and arranged to swing most readily in an are substantially outside the periphery of said body, said are lying substantially in a plane parallel to the axis of said body and normal to the axis of said helical'portion to which said projecting arm is connected, each said torque restricting member being integrally connected singly to that end of a helical portion opposite to the end having a projecting arm and being engaged on said body.

15. The structure of claim714 and with the axis of each said helical portion being tangent to a hypothetical circle haying common axis with said body.

16. An arrow head having a spring structure encircling the same, the spring structure including a series of connected spring elements each including a helical portion and an arm extending substantially tangentially from one end of said helical portion, and means on said spring structure securing the other end of each helical portion to the next adjacent spring element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,621,917 Landers Dec. 16, 1952 2,628,837 Zwickey Feb. 17, 1953 2,671,664 Zwickey Mar. 9, 1954 2,747,859 Rager May 29, 1956 

1. AN ARROWHEAD INCLUDING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ELONGATED BODY HAVING MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT WITH THE FORWARD PORTION OF AN ARROW SHAFT, A CIRCUMFERENTIAL SHOULDER HAVING A PERIPHERY LYING ON A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID BODY AND LOCATED LONGITUDINALLY IN THE GENERAL AREA OF THE FORWARD EXTREMITY OF SAID MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT, A SECOND SHOULDER OF SOMEWHAT SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE FIRST SHOULDER AND HAVING ITS PERIPHERY SPACED FORWARDLY THEREOF, A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE OF REDUCED DIAMETER BETWEEN SAID SHOULDERS, SAID REDUCED DIAMETER GROOVE HAVING SIDES CONTOURED LONGITUDINALLY AND HAVING A FILLETED CONVERGENCE WITH SAID FIRST SHOULDER, A THIRD ABRUPT ANGLED SHOULDER OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL PERIPHERAL DIAMETER TO SAID FIRST SHOULDER AND SPACED FOR- 